Labor's Herzog demands Palestinian recognition of Israel as Jewish state
Statements by opposition leader Isaac Herzog supporting the demand that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state might pave his way into Benjamin Netanyahu's government, but be detrimental to negotiations.
It’s all a question of timing. This is how Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog explained, in a Feb. 7 interview with the website NRG, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' declaration in a Feb. 2 interview with The New York Times that Israel’s demand to recognize it as a Jewish state was “out of the question.”
Ehud Olmert was also asked about Abbas' declaration. The former prime minister expressed with certainty on Feb. 7 that “at the moment of truth” — meaning, “when the Israelis and Palestinians will be on the verge of signing a permanent agreement” — a solution will be found to the recognition problem, as well. What is that “timing”? When will the “moment of truth” come?
Based on the interview given by Secretary of State John Kerry to The Washington Post on Feb. 2, crunch time will not arive with the anticipated presentation of the US framework in the coming weeks. Kerry said the sides will be allowed to “express reservations about the US-drafted parameters” and explained that this process is the only way for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Abbas “to politically be able to keep the negotiations moving.”
If there is any truth to the reports that the framework will include the two words “Jewish state” or “the nation-state of the Jewish people,” one can assume that Abbas will express total reservation. Matti Steinberg, a Middle East scholar who served as adviser on Palestinian affairs to four Shin Bet directors, told Al-Monitor that he does not believe that presenting “this obstructive condition,” in his words, will enable Abbas “to politically keep the negotiations moving.”
